Serena Williams looks back with fondness on Sydney Olympics: "I remember it being pivotal in my career"

Serena Willliams' first Olympics were the ones in 2000 in Sydney and she fondly remembers them as she won a gold medal.

Williams remembered the Olympics in a talk with fellow tennis players for a feature for Wilson Tennis. Present there was Billie Jean King, the woman who lead the American team through the Olympics which Serena thanked her for:

"Billie was the best captain hands down. I learned so much from Billie and it definitely helped. I remember it being pivotal in my career, and I remember how funny I was even back then."

On the experience itself, Williams said:

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"I didn't qualify even though I won the (US) Open. That's how tough it was in America, like everyone was so good. It was like Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Venus, and (Jennifer) Capriati, it was impossible to break in, it was nuts. And I didn't qualify for the Olympics in singles which was crazy. So I just played doubles and I was so happy because I got to go everywhere and I got to watch all the matches, I went to different events. I've never been able to do that since. It was an amazing experience to just be. I was the only person happy to not qualify."

Williams won the gold partnering Venus.